


Heads Will Roll

by randi2204



Series: Bent Not Broken [1]
Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: 3K Round-up Challenge, Gender or Sex Swap, Genderswap, M/M, Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-19
Updated: 2016-06-19
Packaged: 2018-07-16 00:27:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7244842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/randi2204/pseuds/randi2204
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Chris scowled at his empty glass and reminded himself for the hundredth time that no matter what, this wasn’t actually Ezra’s fault.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heads Will Roll

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** They belong to MGM, Mirisch and Trilogy, not me. For which I'm sure they're terribly grateful. ^^

Chris scowled at his empty glass and reminded himself for the hundredth time that no matter what, this wasn’t actually Ezra’s fault.

 

The damnedest thing of it was that it was _Vin’s_ fault, in a way.

 

Ezra had been nervous as Chris had ever seen him from the moment the gaily painted wagon had rolled into town.  One of the family’s horses had thrown a shoe; otherwise, Ezra had said, they would never have stopped in town.  As the wagon had lumbered by the saloon window, Ezra caught sight of it and stopped talking right in the middle of a word.  He watched it, craning his neck to keep it in view and completely oblivious to the others’ curiosity, until it had lurched to a stop outside the livery.

 

Ezra’s reaction had immediately made Chris wary, but there were times the stubborn son of a bitch could be as close-mouthed as Chris himself, and unfortunately, this had been one of them.  “It is entirely possible I may be incorrect in my assumption,” Ezra had said, but Chris wasn’t blind.  He could see that Ezra knew trouble had arrived, and he set himself to watch both Ezra and the strange wagon.

 

Vin had ridden in after a visit to Nettie Wells’ ranch, and on his way into the livery, somehow he’d bumped into the skinny old man who’d been driving the wagon.  The man had stumbled one way, Vin the other, and suddenly all the other people who’d been crammed into the wagon surrounded them, clamoring for Vin to apologize.

 

Ezra had been sitting outside the saloon, eyes locked on whichever of the dusky-skinned people had been in view at the time, or on the wagon.  Chris, lounging nearby, had abruptly straightened when Ezra muttered, “Oh, hell,” then pushed himself out of his chair and dashed toward the shouting group.

 

He’d followed more slowly; he hadn’t seen any guns on any of the men or boys, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t cause trouble.  He arrived just in time to hear Vin say, “Why should I…”

 

Ezra leaned close and murmured something soft and urgent into Vin’s ear, but Vin pushed him away sharply.  “Hell, no, I ain’t gonna apologize!  He’s the one bumped inta me!”

 

Just then a woman, older by far than the old man driving the wagon if Chris judged by her wrinkled, leathery skin, arrived, supported by a young girl with shiny black hair.  The crowd fell silent and parted for her in an obvious deference that made Chris frown.  “You, young man,” she said, her words thick with an unfamiliar accent but surprisingly strong, “must learn to respect your elders.”  She made a gesture with one hand, and her dark eyes blazed.

 

Vin and Ezra fell into a heap on the street, unmoving.

 

Chris jerked his gun from his holster.  “What the hell did you do?” he demanded, voice low and fierce.  He sidestepped, keeping the milling group in his sights as much as possible while trying to get between them and Vin and Ezra.

 

The old woman gave him an appraising look, and Chris found he couldn’t move, pinned by her gaze.  Then she shuffled off, dragging the girl who was her support with her.  The girl called back over her shoulder, “It’s not forever.”  Her accent wasn’t nearly as heavy as the old woman’s.  “Grandmother only means to teach him a lesson.” With minimal assistance, the old woman climbed into the wagon.

 

“Grandmother’s” departure seemed to signal the rest of the band that it was time to do the same.  They all piled into the wagon, and the old man on the seat clucked the horses into motion.  A slap of the reins and they rumbled out of town, and at last Chris could move again.  He crouched down by Vin and Ezra, who were just starting to stir, and he let out a breath in relief.

 

Shaking his head to clear it, Ezra slowly pushed himself off Vin, having landed on him, and that was when Chris noticed something wrong.

 

The shape of his face was a little different – still recognizable as Ezra, and his eyes were just as big and green, but… he looked softer, somehow, lips fuller, cheekbones less angular and prominent…

 

And there were mounds pushing out the chest of his shirt that had definitely hadn’t been there before.

 

Chris hadn’t even realized he was staring until Ezra spoke.  “Mister Larabee, what… are…”

 

When Ezra trailed off, Chris dragged his gaze from Ezra’s chest to take in the horrified expression on his face.  Rather than the somewhat flat tenor to which he’d become so accustomed, Ezra’s voice had sounded higher, softer.  A woman’s voice.

 

He glanced over at Vin, saw that a similar transformation had taken his friend.  Vin’s hair was longer, his seemingly perpetual stubble gone, features much more… feminine.

 

_This is some kinda lesson,_ he thought dazedly.

 

“Mister Larabee?” The words trembled just a little, drew Chris’s attention back to Ezra immediately.  “At the risk of sounding more than just a bit out of my head, have I in fact…” He swallowed, unable to finish, cheeks flaming.

 

Chris nodded.  “Yeah.  You look like a… a lady.”

 

It was Ezra’s turn to nod.  “I rather thought that might be the case.” He took a deep breath, making those startling mounds of flesh strain against his shirt and vest.  Another deep breath and he started to climb to his feet, then quickly stopped.  “I would be very grateful,” he – she? _No, damnit,_ Chris thought, _he’s still Ezra_ – managed, sounding a bit strangled, “if you would be so kind as to assist me… I fear my balance has gone missing…”

 

Chris rose, tugged Ezra to his feet, unable to turn away from the way the normally-impeccable clothes billowed over his slighter frame.  The trousers gaped at the dip of his waist, and dimly, Chris supposed he should be glad Ezra wore suspenders.  As it was, his gun belt looked like it was about to slide right on down his legs.  When he looked down into Ezra’s changed face, it was farther down than it usually was.

 

“Fuckin’ hell,” Vin muttered from behind Chris.  Chris knelt down beside him again.  “What did that old woman do?”  Vin’s new voice wasn’t as light as Ezra’s, but definitely in that female range.

 

“Reckon you can guess,” Chris replied.  He waited for Vin to realize, for his shock to pass, then pulled him up carefully.  Vin hastily grabbed for his belt as it threatened to drag his pants down, cursing in a way no woman should ever know.

 

When he looked around for Ezra, he discovered he was gone.  He’d hidden himself in his room above the saloon and wouldn’t see anyone.  Not even Chris.

 

Which was why Chris was staring at his empty glass, the slam of the door still echoing in his head.  Apparently his comment that Ezra was still _Ezra_ , no matter he had a woman’s body, hadn’t been exactly what Ezra had wanted to hear.  _Reckon it didn’t help that I was pawin’ at him, either,_ he thought, _expectin’ him to react like he usually does._   He couldn’t help but run his fingers over his cheek, still heated from the resounding slap he’d received.

 

He sighed and poured himself another whiskey.  This had damn well _better_ be just temporary, or he was going to find those… those Rom, as Ezra had called them, and get them to reverse what they’d done, at gunpoint if necessary.  _Hell, maybe I oughta do that anyway,_ he thought, _get back in Ezra’s good books again…_ He smiled at the thought, and if any Rom had been there, they would have done well to be worried at the sight.

**Author's Note:**

> A fill for the [fic_promptly](http://fic-promptly.dreamwidth.org/) prompt [any, any, this better wear off soon or heads will roll.](http://fic-promptly.dreamwidth.org/68494.html?thread=3421582#cmt3421582)


End file.
